Engel



Sept 22, 1953 w. ENG L 2,652,885

SPRING SUPPORTING CLIP Filed June 29, 1948 IN VENTOR. MYZz'am ivz g z TOP/V5 45.

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 SPRING "SUPPORTING TCLIP'."

William; EngeLf Detroit, Mich; .assignorr, tOLLNO:

WarrentfilownshimMichr,

ag prin -Compa a corporation-of Michi gant Application'Jiine 29, 1948;"S'erial Nor-35,774 1 8 Claims: (01. 155-179) g This inventionrelates to supporting *clips: for springs,-: and particularlyto a supporting: clip attachableto a fram element in: a manner to support thespr-ing strip" under-=a predetermined tension to provides-desired -iormtheret04-= It has been the I practice heretofore-in A theeartto secure-asinuous type of spring, that is to say; a spring made of wire-bent backl anotforth to provide open oppositely directed loops jointed bystraig ht portionsb'y -clipssecured to the ends thereofi' The-springstrip' will-assume the-shapeof a unif-orm are between the supporting ends and --norma1ly would deflect under a load 'in- I a manner which would'not provide a predetermineddesir'able contour to the seating 1 area The present clip is attachable- 110 the frame of a seat, couch, davenport and the lilr'e =in a con ventional :manner: The. clip-= has a U-shaped springengaging end; *spaced wh'en in us a. pre--- determined "distance from -the-face 0'f: the frame element; The surfaCe-ofthe U-shaped portionis covered-b'y a sound deadening 'materialwhich may beizcloth, paper, metal and the-like; which is-"adhered -thereto.- A straightportion-oi the spring inwardly-oi the-endmost straight portion is' receivedby th'e U-shaped portion "01 the clipso-thatth end portion of the strip will -engagethe frame element and th'ereby preventthe por tion -within-theclip from rotating and at the same timeprovide-a tension and a predetermined fcrnr to theadjacentportionof the .str ip when--the opposite-end is secured to -theframe; The-ope; posits end- =may== be mounted =--in a --simi1ar-clip,: although it is -more-desirab1e-to pro-vide a clip; in i which said 1 opposite end of the" 'spring strip may pivot? Accordingly; the-main objects of -the-inventicn are: to provide a clip having a u-shapeddspringi receiving p'ortiom which is spaced a predet-e mineddistancefrom the faceof theframe element; to" provide-a clip havinga U -shapedpor-- tion for supporting theedge of thespring'againstlateral tilting movement :whilepreventing it from pivoting- "so as i to provide: a predetermined ten-= sion-and form to the adjacent' portion of-"the strip when bothends are secured; to provider mounting means *for *a=- spring strip which produces "a predetermined shape to 1 the strip-When securedbetweemfront and rearframe members of a seating element in a-manner tot-prevent the springfrom tilting: 'ands'itwcauseeiti to assume a:.predetermined :contourzwheniloadedjuanda im general,; toixprovidei aisspringa :;strip ;v which is: s mple; in construction and economical z-oiwmanu-f facturei;

Other objects and 1 features v of noveltyof i the invention-will be specifically pointedout or willbecome apparent when: referring; for a betterunderstandingbf the invention, totheiollowing=-=description-, taken in a conjunction with: the accompanyin drawing; wherein Figure 1 is perspective VieWx-Df a -clip forsupportinga. spring strip embodyingfeatures of. this invention; v

Fig-.12 is an enlargedvplan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. '3 .is -a vie-W of-structure; similar :to=;;that illustrated in: Fig. 1, showing a further -form of theinvention;

by-"straight portions,

Fig. 4-'-isa-view of: structure; -;similar to that illustratedein Figi 3, showing-a still further form ofthe 1 invention;

Fig. 5 isa sectional viewofa frame having a spring striplxsmounted: therein-by a -cli'phof th'e present invention;-

Fig; 6 is--a -viewof structure; similar to that illustrated if in -Figs 4,- showing a different "-form thereof-g Figs '7 is-a sectionalvieW- of a frame: and "clip embodying= features ofthe present inventiom Figr 8 1 is a side'view Of-the structure-illustrated in Fig: 7;

Fig. 9 is a- View of structure, similar" to -that illustrated in 1 Fig. 7', showing a further form 1 thereof, and

10 is a" 'vieviwoflstructure, similar' to that illustratedin Fig; 3, showingastill further-- form of the" invention.-

Springs ll, made of wire bent back and forth to-have= oppositely disposed-adjacent loops joi-ned have-been formed on an arc of small radius sothat when the ends were extended andsecured -t0-= a .framey resistance was providedagainst downward I deflection." The springs; howevere assnmed unif0rm= arcuate shape across the frame and a desirable-seating contour was not always -obtained-=- when the seat Was-occupiedv The present inventionpertains to a clip-for supporting one or both endsof 'the springin" a' manner-*to-further stress the ends" sci-that a desirable con-tour resultswh'en-the seat is occupied-a' In Fig. 5 the spring strip ll is illustrated as being secured to -frame aelementsl 2 rand l s iby ax clip :l 4 of ithe presentinventionat:thet forward: endianma standard, clip: I 5;:at .the rearward :end.. The clip: l4, lassillustratedi inxF-igs; 1 and 2,..is madeyfromia strip vgof; metal, having a main :web portion l6 p iovidedwith apertures I? bywhich the.:clip is secured to the-frame element 12 by suitable means, herein illustrated as by nails IS. The inward edge of the web I6 is flanged downwardly to provide a shoulder l9 which abuts the face of the frame element to accurately space the projecting U-shaped hook portion 2| therefrom. The U-shaped hook portion receives. a straight portion 22 of the spring strip H to anchor it in position. It will be noted that the ends of the U-shaped clip portion 2| are drawn outwardly at 23 to have the hook portion disposed arcuately at the ends, following the curvature of the ends of the straight portion 22 of the spring strip. The shoulder l9 positions the edge 24 of the U-shaped clip portion 2| a predetermined distance from the inner face of the frame element [2 so as to permit the straight portion 22 of the spring strip to pass therebetween. Sound deadening material 25 is applied to the inner tend over the shoulder and the web. The material on the hook portion prevents squeaking and noises from occurring from any movement of the spring strip relative thereto. The material may be cloth, paper and the like, adhered to the strip before it is stamped and formed, or such material may b applied thereafter, or a coating of tin, copper and other soft metals may be applied to the entire face of the strip or only to the arcuate U-shaped portion 2|.

The straight portion 22 of the spring strip next adjacent to the end straight portion thereof, is engaged by the U-shaped clip portion 2|, thereby having the U-shaped clip portion function as a fulcrum relative to the end portion of the strip to produce a high arch in the spring stri II, as at 25 in the assembly illustrated in Fig. 5. This produces a different shape to the spring strip than that resulting when both ends are pivoted to supporting clips. Due to the unpivoted support provided for the front end of the spring strip in the clip l4, the front portion of the spring strip resists deflection a greater amount than the rear portion, thereby producing the desired contour when the cushion is occupied. This contour is illustrated in the dotted line position 21 of Fig. and follows that found to be most desirable from data described in the patent to Walter E. Lay et al., No. 2,359,318, issued October 3, 1944.

In Fig. 3 a further form of clip 28 is illustrated, which is similar to the clip l4, with the exception that the forward end is flanged downwardly at 29 to provide an additional web by which the clip is nailed or otherwise secured to the frame element |2.

In Fig. 4, a still further form of clip 3| is illustrated, which is similar to the clip 28 with the exception that the shoulder I9 is omitted and the web 29 employed for positioning the edge 24 of the U-shaped clip portion 2| from the inner face of the frame element when engaging the opposite face thereof.

In Fig. 6 a still further form of clip 32 is illustrated, wherein the shoulder portion is has been omitted and one or more tongues 33 have been struck from the web portion 34 for spacing the edge 24 of the U-shaped clip portion 2| from the face of the frame element when in engagement therewith.

In Fig. a similar clip 35 is illustrated, wherein a. downwardly extending web 36 has inwardly projecting teeth 31 thereon which are driven in the front face of the frame for securing the clip in position and for spacing the edge 24 relative to the inner face of the frame element.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a further form of clip 38 is face of the hook portion which may ex-.

- vide an arched portion at mined distance from the illustrated, one which is constructed to be mounted on an angle iron frame 39 for securing the spring strip in predetermined arched position. A U-shaped portion 4| extends inwardly from the top edge of the frame element 39 and is rovided with a downwardly extending web portion 42 and an inwardly and downardly presenting tongue 43 which projects through an aperture 44 in the upwardly disposed flange of the angle member 39. The straight portion 22 of the spring strip adjacent to the end portion is positioned within the U-shaped portion 4| of the clip, with the end portion of the spring resting against the inner face of the angle member, to thereby anchor the end against rotation and prothe front end of the spring strip.

In Fig. 9 a similar form of clip 45 is illustrated, having a top web 46 extending over the top of the frame element 39 and having a U-shaped clip portion 41 curving downwardly and inwardly therefrom for receiving the straight edge 22 of the spring strip H, with the edge abutting against the tongue 43 of the clip. In this construction the tongue 43 is stamped from the U- shaped hook portion 41, as illustrated by the slot 48. A substantial amount of material is saved when stamping the tongue 43 from the U-shaped hook portion.

In all of the embodiments herein illustrated, it is to be understood that the sound deadening material is applied to the inner face of the U- shaped hook portions thereof or to the entire inner face of the clip, whichever is the more economical method of applying the sound deadening material thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A clip for securing a spring strip in position in a frame element, said clip having a web portion, a shoulder formed in said web portion adapted to abut a side of the frame element, and a U-shaped hook portion extending from said shoulder below the plane of said web portion, said shoulder being arranged for spacing the end of the U-shaped hook portion a predeterface of the frame element toward which the open side of the U-shaped hook portion is directed.

2. A clip for supporting one end of a spring strip, said clip having a horizontal web portion, a U-shaped hook portion on one edge of said web portion, a downwardly projecting flange on the opposite edge of said web portion, and inwardly projecting teeth on the end of said flange.

3. A clip for supporting one end of a spring strip, said clip having a horizontal web portion, a U-shaped hook portion on one edge of said web portion, a downwardly projecting flange on the opposite edge of said web portion, inwardly projecting teeth on the end of said flange, and sound deadening material provided at least on the inner face of the U-shaped hook portion.

4. A clip for supporting a sinuous spring strip, said clip having a web portion for extending over the top of the frame element, a U-shaped hook provided on one edge of said web portion for receiving a straight portion of the spring strip, a downwardly projecting flange on said web portion opposite to said hook, and an inwardly and downwardly projecting tongue on said flange.

5. A clip for supporting a sinuous spring strip, said clip having a web portion for extending over the top of the frame element, a U-shaped hook provided on one edge of said web portion for receiving a straight portion of the spring strip,

a downwardly projecting flange on said web portion opposite to said hook, an inwardly and downwardly projecting tongue on said flange, and sound deadening material at least on the inner face of the hook portion of said clip.

6. The combination with a frame having spaced front and rear frame elements, of a clip on the front frame element having a U-shaped hook portion spaced a predetermined distance from the inner face of said element, a clip secured to the rear frame element, and a sinuous spring strip pivotally secured to the clip on the rear frame element and secured by a straight portion of the spring inwardly of the front end thereof to the hook portion of the first said clip to have the adjacent loop at the end of the spring engage the inner face of the front frame element to form a high arch in the strip at the front of the frame.

7. The combination with secured to the front frame element having a U- shaped hook portion spaced a predetermined distance from the inner face of the element, and a sinuous spring strip made of oppositely disposed loops joined by straight portions secured to said clip through the engagement of a straight portion inwardly from the end thereof in said U-shaped hook portion, with the adjacent loop at the end of the strip in engagement with the inner face of the frame element to form a high arch at the front frame end when the opposite end of the strip is secured to the opposite frame element.

a frame, of a clip 8. The combination with a frame element having a clip thereon, of a sinuous spring made of wire bent back and forth to provide oppositely directed open loops joined by straight portions, the next adjacent straight portion to the end of the spring being engaged by said clip for securing the spring to the frame element with the end loop and straight portion extending from said secured straight portion disposed in engagement with a side face of said frame element for securing the end of the spring strip thereto in a manner to prevent relative rotation between the secured straight portion and the frame element.

WILLIAM EN GEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,142,740 Wechsler Jan. 3, 1939 2,217,290 Nordmark Oct. 8, 1940 2,251,043 Freeman July 29, 1941 2,257,633 Bank Sept. 30, 1941 2,332,041 Asaro Oct. 19, 1943 2,542,458 Bank Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,617 Great Britain of 1912 476,782 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1937 

